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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. spell — magic
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fall — to drop
  6. dip — to sink
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fall — to drop
  17. spell — letters
  18. mark — a trace
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — a grade
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fall — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com